Sentinel cluster of locally acquired Japanese encephalitis in southern Australia

Prior to January 2022, only a single case of infection with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) had been reported on the Australian mainland, acquired in the northern extremity on Cape York. We report the clinical characteristics of the sentinel cluster of cases that confirmed the local acquisition of JEV in southern Australia along the Murray River bordering New South Wales and Victoria.

Automated summary

Prior to January 2022, there was only one reported case of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection on the Australian mainland, acquired in the northern extremity on Cape York. We present the clinical characteristics of a cluster of cases confirming the local acquisition of JEV in southern Australia along the Murray River bordering New South Wales and Victoria.